Thursday, August 16, 2007

Radio 1 is Wonderful

To mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the Light Programme, Radio 1 has effectively copied the NME's 40th anniversary celebration by getting current artists to record tracks from the last forty years.

Victoria Newton is excited:

KAISER CHIEFS kick off the album with their cover of the first track ever played on Radio 1 — Flowers In The Rain by THE MOVE.

Um... second track, Victoria. As every schoolchild knows, the first track played on Radio 1 was Beefeater by Johnny Dankworth, which was Tony Blackburn's theme music.
One track I can’t wait to hear is THE GOSSIP’s version of GEORGE MICHAEL’s Careless Whisper.

Really? You can't wait to hear it? Alright then, go to YouTube.

We're just surprised that there's anyone left alive who hasn't heard them do it, what with it being a live favourite. This performance is from, erm, Radio 1's Live Lounge. But it's also available on iTunes, Victoria. Wait no longer.
It is great to see KYLIE back with her first recorded track since recovering from cancer.

The jilted singer recorded Love Is A Drug by ROXY MUSIC, which could be a nod to her relationship with OLIVIER MARTINEZ.

Or, perhaps, Victoria, it's a reference to the drugs she took while recovering from cancer? Or, just maybe, it's a song that she'll be able to do a corking cover of? Oh, and it's Love is THE Drug.
JO WHILEY’s Live Lounge show has been a pioneer in getting bands to perform cover tracks outside of their comfort zone.

Yes, nobody ever did an "unexpected cover" before the Live Lounge (which is a feature, not a show, Victoria) - why, I'm sure none of us can remember Peel introducing a session track with "this is a cover, and maybe not one you'd expect" or words to that effect on dozens of occasions.

The list in full:

1967 – Flowers In The Rain (The Move) by Kaiser Chiefs
1968 – All Along The Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix Experience) by The Fratellis
1969 – Cupid (Johnny Nash) by Amy Winehouse
1970 – Lola (The Kinks) by Robbie Williams
1971 – Your Song (Elton John) by The Streets
1972 – Betcha By Golly Wow (The Stylistics) by Sugababes
1973 – You’re So Vain (Carly Simon) by The Feeling
1974 – Band On The Run (Wings) by Foo Fighters
1975 – Love Is The Drug (Roxy Music) by Kylie
1976 – Let’s Stick Together (Bryan Ferry) by KT Tunstall
1977 – Sound & Vision (David Bowie) by Franz Ferdinand
1978 – Teenage Kicks (The Undertones) by The Raconteurs
1979 – Can’t Stand Losing You (The Police) by Mika
1980 – Too Much Too Young (The Specials) by Kasabian
1981 – Under Pressure (Queen & David Bowie) by Keane
1982 – Town Called Malice (The Jam) by McFly
1983 – Come Back And Stay (Paul Young) by James Morrison
1984 – Careless Whisper (George Michael) by The Gossip
1985 – The Power Of Love (Huey Lewis & The News) by Pigeon Detetives
1986 – Don’t Get Me Wrong (The Pretenders) by Lily Allen
1987 – You Sexy Thing (Hot Chocolate) by Stereophonics
1988 – Fast Car (Tracy Chapman) by Mutya Buena
1989 – Lullaby (The Cure) by Editors
1990 – Englishman In New York (Sting) by Razorlight
1991 – Crazy For You (Madonna) by Groove Armada
1992 – It Must Be Love (Madness) by Paolo Nutini
1993 – All That She Wants (Ace Of Base) by The Kooks
1994 – You’re All I Need To Get By (Mary J Blige) by Mark Ronson
1995 – Stillness In Time (Jamiroquai) by Calvin Harris
1996 – No Diggity (Blackstreet) by Klaxons
1997 – Love Fool (The Cardigans) by Just Jack
1998 – Ray Of Light (Madonna) by Natasha Bedingfield
1999 – Drinking in LA (Bran Van 3000) by The Twang
2000 – The Great Beyond (REM) by The Fray
2001 – Teenage Dirtbag (Wheatus) by Girls Aloud
2002 – Like I Love You (Justin Timberlake) by Maximo Park
2003 – Don’t Look Back Into The Sun (The Libertines) by The View
2004 – Toxic (Britney Spears) by Hard-Fi
2005 – Father & Son (Yusuf & Ronan Keating) by The Enemy
2006 – Steady As She Goes (The Raconteurs) by Corinne Bailey Rae

Surely KT Tunstall should have been disqualifieed from doing Lets Stick Together on the grounds that it was a cover?


18 comments:

CarsmileSteve said...

it's no ruby trax though is it? ;)

Alex B said...

>Surely KT Tunstall should have been disqualifieed from doing Lets Stick Together on the grounds that it was a cover?

And Paulo Nutini doing a cover of a cover of a Labi Siffri song (Labi is even in the Madness version video)

Mutya trying to appear 'deep' anyone?

M.C. Glammer said...

I remember Peely being a bit surprised there was a song on The Clash's 'Sandinista' credited to Allison, which he assumed correctly to be Mose Allison. It's funny the things you remember.

And well done for avoiding the obvious Kylie/Hutchence 'Love is the Drug' reference there, Simon.

Anonymous said...

Hi Simon, you must be chuffed to little pink mintballs at the prospect of Kasabian covering The Specials...

Simon Hayes Budgen said...

The Specials? The Specials? Oh, you mean Lily Allen's backing band...


I hadn't noticed Robbie Williams' choice this morning... it's so hard to tell the difference, isn't it, Robbie?

Anonymous said...

1968 – All Along The Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix Experience) by The Fratellis

I'm not going to point out the mistake here (beyond The Fratellis covering it... actually beyond The Fratellis thinking it would be a good idea to form a band but that's completely different point) but I'm sure someone will.

Anonymous said...

i can't help but look at the originals and then look at the artists covering them and think to myself: hmm maybe people are right about the state of popular music these days...

Anonymous said...

And the award for first single to be released from said compliation goes to... Girls Aloud with Teenage Dirtbag. Probably. I feel nauseous.

The only one there, other than Kylie's, that might work in my sceptical little mind is Editors doing Lullaby. However, they kill it, I kill them. Simple really.

Simon Hayes Budgen said...

Lu, that one out the Editors has already taken to hiding in towers through fear of terrorists. He'll be under his bed by now.

Unknown said...

1999 – Drinking in LA (Bran Van 3000) by The Twang


oh no. no. please no

Anonymous said...

Actually, I think Girls Aloud covering Teenage Dirtbag might be amazing if it's another Xenomania production.

if said...

And no one has even mentioned Father & Son counting for 2005 yet, way more nonsensical than the KT one

Tim F said...

I'm a bit confused by the years given. My trusty Guinness Book of Hit Singles assures me that Englishman In New York was first released in 1988, not 1990. Similarly, Crazy For You came out in 1985; It Must Be Love in 1981; You Sexy Thing in 1975.

So not only are they covering covers, they're so relying on re-releases and remixes to get the chronological spread. Apparently there was no new music released between 1990 and 1992.

Of course, Ms Newton's not the only one incapable of regurgitating a BBC press release accurately. Yahoo News said that Cupid (another cover) was by Johnny *Cash*.

Anonymous said...

Yes, "Crazy For You" is doing my nut, too. For the record, then, the covered covers so far would seem to include All Along The Watchtower, Cupid, Let’s Stick Together, It Must Be Love, You’re All I Need To Get By, Ray Of Light and Father And Son. There may be more...

Anonymous said...

Oh good, glad I'm not the only one reading the list and thinking "but that didn't come out then"?!

I'm with Lulu on the 'Lullaby' cover....

Anonymous said...

And no-ones complained about the stereophonics covering You Sexy Thing? ouch ouch, my beautiful ears!

Actually, I'm quite looking forward to the Girls Aloud cover of Teenage Dirtbag.

Is this being given away by Radio 1, is it for charity, or are they just expecting us to give them all our hard earned cash for an album of shit covers?

Anonymous said...

alex b, surely Mutya wouldn't have survived this long in the industry if she's devoid of "depth." You'd be surprised at her musical knowledge, that is if you personally know her. It's all about music for this girl and I bet she'll stump you with what she knows anytime. Besides, her tone's spot on for a Tracy Chapman cover.

Lily Allen's doing "Don't Get Me Wrong"???!!! Holy horrific!!! Her voice is no match to Chrissie Hynde's tone. Allen's voice, besides having no distinct tone (ergo, pretty generic), is just weak and squeaky at places that the cover's bound to trail off to pathetic-dom. She has more of a Nina Persson voice so she should switch places with Just Jack and cover "Love Fool" instead.

Anonymous said...

I know it's maybe part in jest, but why the sneering comments about the Radio1 comp being a piss poor Ruby Trax? Sure, history will have forgotten some of the bands on the new compilation in 6 months time, but there's plenty of "Who?" artists on the 1992 version too. (And bear in mind, I love both Senseless Things AND Kingmaker!)

Lighten up - cover version rock.

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